"Are we to sit down tamely under such rudeness, then?" Bessie asked at large. "You never assert yourself, Deda--you and mama. That's why people dare to treat you so. Sir Francis would not have sent for me like a servant, to give me his orders. What did you do, Deda? Stood there meekly, like an idiot, to listen, I suppose?" "Miss Deleah did what was right. Least said soonest mended," the boarder declared. He had never openly stood as Deleah's champion before. "I'm on Deda's side too," Franky said. "Deda's got the most on her side. C'n I have another piece of tart, ma?" "No, you can't," said Bessie promptly. "Mama, Franky cried out in his sleep the last time he had two pieces of tart." "C'n I have another piece of tart, ma?" Mrs. Day explained to Franky that instead of having more tart, at that time of night, he must go to bed; and Bessie with excitement started a new idea. "I suppose that was what he came here for," she cried. "Sir Francis called, and found Reggie Forcus with me," she explained, turning to the boarder. "He came here spying upon me. No doubt he meant to say to me what he's said to Deleah, but he found a different person to deal with. I didn't give him any chance to put an insult on me, I can tell you! So he sent for Deleah, who can't defend herself." "Poor little Deleah!" the mother said, fondly regarding the girl, indisposed to defend herself at that moment evidently, and apparently busy with her supper. "Miss Deleah could find them that would defend her if she'd say the word," Gibbon said, greatly daring; the beef was untasted on his plate, but his eyes devoured Deleah. Bessie gave him a glance of astonished disapproval, and went on to expatiate on what would have been her own conduct in Deleah's place. How she would have listened to Sir Francis with apparent calm, saying nothing, leading him on to his own destruction, and then-- "I did listen, I didn't say anything. I was thinking all the time how horrid it was for him to have to do what he did." "Well, my dear child, that was no concern of yours, you need not have been unhappy about it." "No, mama. But I was; and unhappy that I had to sit to listen to him. I wanted desperately to get away, that was all. I came the very instant that I could." "Instead of which, I should have said," explained the eager Bessie, "I should have said: 'Until this moment I have not given your brother a thought, Sir Francis. But now that you have dared--_dared_ to insult me and my family in such a way, I will tell you what I will do. I will marry him to-morrow morning. I'd have done it too," Bessie declared, looking round the table, eyes shining with strong self-approval. "My dear Bessie. Don't let your feelings run away with you so much," Mrs. Day reproved. "Deleah has no dignity, mama. Any one can see Deleah behaved without the least dignity."